Chip, Joanna Gaines Relationship Timeline: Marriage Details

Joanna Gaines and Chip Gaines are a longtime couple who is all about working hard and spending time with their five kids. The former HGTV stars have been together for nearly two decades, and a complete breakdown of their romance proves their relationship is going to stand the test of time.

Chip and Jo first met back in 2001 after they both graduated from Baylor University. The two weren’t introduced at the Texas college as Chip received his diploma in 1998, three years before Joanna, but they later crossed paths in Waco.

As the home renovation guru described to PopSugar, it was practically love at first sight for Chip. Recalling how he first laid eyes on Joanna in her father’s automotive shop where she worked, the TV personality said he knew right away that the brunette beauty was “The One” for him.

“Her dad made the mistake of putting a pic of the family behind the counter at his [automotive] shop,” he gushed to the outlet in 2018. “I knew I’d marry her one day just by the picture on the wall.” As for Joanna, the We Are the Gardeners author remembered her beau having “such a sincere smile.” She marveled, “We met in the waiting area and hit it off immediately … he was genuinely engaging.”

Following their encounter, Chip and Jo went on a first date, and from there, the rest is pretty much history. Following their 2003 nuptials, the lovebirds launched their Magnolia business, which has massively grown over the years. They also focused on creating a family, becoming the parents of their five kids: Duke, Ella, Drake, Emmie and Crew.

These days, Jo and Chip are running their widely successful empire — which includes their new TV network, the Magnolia Journal, their shops at the Silos and so much more — as well as raising their big family. Though it feels like the duo are always being pulled in a million different directions, “being good parents is Chip and Joanna’s first priority,” an insider exclusively told Closer in April 2019.

“It’s about quality time together,” the source explains, pointing out Chip and Jo “always” take advantage of time at home with their children. “Their family nights include games like cards and checkers, then bedtime stories and prayers. Everyone says they have the perfect life.”

For a complete timeline of Chip and Jo’s relationship, scroll through the gallery below!

2001

After their chance-meeting at Joanna’s dad’s repair shop in Waco, Chip took his lady out on a first date in 2001. While once chatting with Texas Monthly, the pair revealed they enjoyed their day together by sitting on the porch of a “historic mansion” and ate fried chicken.

Though it obviously turned out well, Joanna jokingly recalled how Chip was more than an hour late picking her up. “He didn’t apologize for being late either,” she penned in an excerpt of their 2016 memoir The Magnolia Story, per Today. “He had so much confidence. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Only Chip could be an hour and a half late and have no one mad about it.”

2003

Things moved fast for Chip and Jo as they said “I do” after less than two years together in May 2003. The pair, who got engaged in 2002, exchanged vows at the Earle Harrison House in Waco, Texas. Describing the venue to Us Weekly, Jo said it’s a “historic mansion that looks an awful lot” like the place where they had their first date.

2013

After years of focusing on raising their family while growing their Magnolia empire, Chip and his love kicked off their journey on TV when they were cast as the stars of Fixer Upper. The legendary reality series first aired on HGTV in May 2013 and ran until April 2018. Though the show left HGTV after five seasons, the couple premiered a new version of Fixer Upper on their very own TV network, which launched July 15, 2021.

2021

It seems things couldn’t be going any better for Chip and Jo. In addition to their growing empire and the launch of Magnolia Network, the power couple has been having a blast raising their loving children. Considering the business owners are so in love, it’s no surprise they said “divorce or leaving one another is not really an option” for them.

“Our superpower is that Jo and I are not quitters,” Chip told Access Hollywood in July 2021. “Throwing in the towel is not something that honestly ever even comes to mind, and I would say that happened pretty early on in our relationship.”

“Things have definitely been challenging. We’re not perfect, we have issues and trials and errors like anybody,” he continued. “But when you say, ‘throwing in the towel,’ in fairness, I would admit if we had considered that along that way. But relationally we’re in it forever, this will never be a gossip mag that we don’t make it.”

2022

In June 2022, Chip and Joanna celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary. The Magnolia Table author shared an Instagram photo cuddling up with her hubby at a restaurant. The caption read, “19 years,” with a heart emoji, followed by a hashtag that said, “I like you a lot.”

The comments section was full of love for the television stars with well wishes from Magnolia Workshops host Hilton Carter and celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern. Their anniversary celebration came just a few days before the premiere of Silos Baking Competition, a new show on Magnolia Network hosted by the happy couple.